Well...curriculum plans for 2009/10 school year have been on my mind lately! There are too many choices, and all great. My biggest problem is money...I love the idea of a full curriculum and have been looking at those choices for next year, but they are all expensive! I have been doing unit studies this year (free!) I LOVE doing these and James seems to like it too. We get to focus on topics he likes, and really dive into a subject. However the downside to unit studies next year, I will have anxiety over whether or not I am covering enough... Another reason I would like to go to a full curriculum would be for my benefit... CONSISTANCY! My biggest weakness in homeschooling is staying consistant. This year I have excused my lazy/bad days when we don't really do anything schoolworthy on the fact that he's only in PreK and way ahead of where other's his age are...but I can't do that anymore!!! He deserves better, and the school system kinda would frown on that...
That is why I would love a full curriculum...the schedule would be laid out for me, and we would just follow the day's planned activities and lessons...no need for me to plan anything out. That would be nice and less stressful on my part.
For the last two weeks I have been considering whether or not to enroll James in GVA, Georgia Virtual Academy.
Here is a short video ABC did on them...
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7191679&page=1
It is absolutely free, they send you all the books, workbooks, CD's, manipulatives, etc...all free sent to your doorstep. In fact, if you qualify (which we probably would) they even send you a loaner computer and printer and pay subsidized internet. James loves learning on the computer. He would love seeing a teacher come thru and talk with him and interact with him...and other students. We would be able to do things at our on pace, but still have the accountablity/consistancy I am looking for. Having to be present and log hours each school day, while it may be a downside for others, it is a plus for me! Did I mention it's all free? They also do field trips together all over the state of Georgia, and there are local meet and greets too... it all sound really great. Too good to be true? hmmm....
One downside is it is a public school, so the curriculum definitely won't be God centered...may include subjects like evolution, etc. but Mark and I talked about this is the great thing about being at home...I can put my spin on the lessons and we could supplement a Bible and character class ourselves...this would be easy, and I would like that...I have my eye on a few things for bible/character already. And the school says that we find any lesson/materials objectable, the teachers will give alternative materials for lessons.
Also, we can unenroll at anytime for any reason...which was a great thing for my fears of the unknown...So...I bit the bullet, and decided to enroll him. But...they anticipate so many people enrolling, that they may have to do a lottery to see who will get in...which is making me anxious! They will know May 15th...which is taking forever to get here! I just want to know!
I will keep you posted.
1 comment:
My friend, Cayce, decided to homeschool her daughter Reese this year. She decided to use My Father's World curriculam, and my friend from church uses it too. It goes all the way k-12, and I have the brochure and they are online. It is a great curriculam and I don't know what expensive is for you, but I think the kindergarten package for the whole year is around 100 dollars. It comes with everything and lessons for everyday. Everything centers around God, even the math I think. Anyway it looks really good...
She thought about doing that program that you signed up for too, they do it in SC as well, but changed her mind.
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